Mastering the Art of Worldbuilding in Fiction Writing

Worldbuilding is an essential part of the fiction writing process, which is why we made a video on the subject to add to our series Novel Writing Tips: the Authors Journey. Below the video are the written notes for the show, and to read more detail on the topic, visit the article on worldbuilding on Tahlia’s editing blog.

1. What is Worldbuilding?
   • Not just a setting 
   • It’s creating a complete world that is rich in detail, history, and culture. 
   • feels real, even though/if it doesn’t exist. 
2. There’s as many different types of worlds as there are genres right?
   • Yes and each has its own inherent characteristics and mood. (refer to our genre video for a full list of genres) 
   • Fantasy worlds-magic and mythical creatures,
   •  sci-fi worlds =often set in the future with advanced technology. 
   • Dystopian worlds-bleak and oppressive
   • post-apocalyptic worlds – set after an event that has changed the world
3. So what kinds of things do I need to think about when I’m building my world?
   • Geography and Environment: will influence the cultures and societies that exist within it.
     1. climate, weather patterns, terrain, and the natural resources available.
   • History: will shape the current state of your world.
     1. Define any significant past events like wars, religious or racial conflicts, natural disasters
     2. how they have impacted the people who live there.
   • Magic system: If your world includes magic, how does it work?
     1.  It needs rules and limitations to be believable
   • Society & Culture: will be influenced by all of the above, as well as the people who live there.
     1. Political system, who is in charge? How does that work?
     2. Races and religions
     3. Think about the customs, traditions & beliefs of the people in your world.

4. That seems like a lot to think about, is there a particular process you’d recommend?
   • Start by identifying the aspect that excites you the most and go from there.
   • You can either build from the little things up or from the big things down.  
5. Do you always have to draw a map?
   • Mapping helps you to visualize the world that you are creating and can help you to keep track of the various locations and landmarks within your world.
   • Can be a hand scribbled map that is never shown to readers. 
6. So once I have my world all figured out, how do I bring this highly detailed world into the story?
   • make sure that it is done in a way that feels natural and organic, specifically through the Characters and Plot.
   • The culture & societies of your world will influence the beliefs & values of your characters and therefore how they act.  
   • The history of your world will impact your character’s past experiences 
   • Your world should influence the events that occur in your story, and the events in your story should shape the world.
7. What are some common worldbuilding mistakes to avoid?
   • inconsistency, 
   • lack of detail or omitting details important tothe story.
     1. Eg. magic rules. Why cant they create this thing they need with magic?
   • Info-Dumping and overwhelming your readers with too much information. 
8. How do authors know if they’ve been successful with their worldbuilding? 

These are good questions to ask your beta readers.

Creative – Is it clear how often and to what extent your constructed world deviates from the real world?

Complete – does it feel that the world exists before the story begins, that it has regions that are unexplored within the current story, and that will continue to exist after the story is over?

Consistent – is your world consistent? This means that the world does not contradict itself or deviate from the laws of nature as we understand them and the laws of magic as you have defined them.

Consequences – are the consequences of character actions in accord with the world’s political and religious beliefs.

Summary 

Worldbuilding is an essential part of fiction writing, and it requires a lot of effort and creativity. By understanding the different elements of worldbuilding and developing a comprehensive worldbuilding guide, you can create a believable and immersive world for your readers to explore.